FAIRFAX — You can feel it building.
Not just on TV. Not just on social. On campus. In the hallways. In the Johnson Center.
Because Ilia Malinin — Marshall High School’s own and a current George Mason student — is skating for Olympic gold tomorrow, and he’s doing it from the driver’s seat.
Where he stands right now (individual men’s event)
After the short program, Malinin is in 1st place with 108.16.
Right behind him: Yuma Kagiyama (Japan) — 103.07, and Adam Siao Him Fa (France) — 102.55.
So yeah — tomorrow’s free skate isn’t just “a chance.”
It’s a target on his back and a runway in front of him.
He already brought home gold once
Before the individual medals even hit the table, Malinin helped Team USA lock down the team event gold, dropping a 200.03 in the men’s free skate when the whole thing was on the line.
(And in the team short program earlier, he scored 98.00.)
Watch parties at George Mason tomorrow
Mason is turning this into an event — because it is an event.
Friday, Feb. 13 at 1:00 p.m. ET
- Fairfax Campus: Johnson Center Atrium
- Mason Square (Arlington): Fuse at Mason Square, Room 1311
And here’s the boom
He’s already an Olympic champion.
Now he joins rare company in Mason history — adding Olympic gold to a short list that includes alum David Verburg.
Tomorrow, it’s not just the “Quad God” nickname.
Not just the backflip.
Not just the hype.
It’s first place. One more program. One more chance to make this thing golden!
